Slip-cover for automobile-tops



w. B. ALBURY. SL'IP COVER FOR AUTOMOBILE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. II. 1915- Patented Aug. 8,1916.-.

anmntoz W. BiUbut' WILLIAM B. ALBURY, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

SLIP-COVER, FOR AUTOMOBILE-TOPS.

Application filed December 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. ALBURY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tampa, in the county of Hillsborough and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slip-Covers for Automobile-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in slip covers for automobile tops.

Heretofore the slip covers for automobile tops have been opened along the sides and provided with buttons or fastenings which must be connected after the cover has been slipped on in order to hold it securely in position at the sides. Due to the fact that the cover must be drawn tightly over the top to hold it securely in position and to give a neat appearance, there is a constant straining at these buttons or fastenings, particularly in connecting them, that causes the cover to become quickly split and torn. From sixty to seventy-five per cent. of the covers that have come under my observation have been split and torn beyond repair after.

from three to six months of daily use.

According to my invention I avoid splitting or tearing the sides of the cover by forming them for a fold or plait which has fastened within it an elastic strip adapted to expand sufficiently to permit the cover to be drawn over the folded top in which position the elastic strip stretches until the sides of the cover are stretched taut, thus afiording a neat and attractive cover which will not become torn or split and, due to the protection from the weather afforded to the elastic side strips by the impervious outer sides of the cover, it will last as long as the cover itself.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings what I regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of my cover applied to a top. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cover broken away to show the elastic side bands; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the cover with its elastic sides in relaxed and applied positions.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

As illustrated, my invention is applied to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 66,372.

cover and protect the folding top 1 of an automobile 2, it being understood that the top may be of any well known design and that my cover will be suited to such top when folded back. The cover comprises the top 3 and bottom 4 of any suitable water-proof material having the customary attaching flaps 5 and connected along the back and side edges by a layer of water-proof material 6 forming the closed back and the outer side walls of the cover. It will be noticed that the side walls of the casing are made Without openings and therefore it is unnecessary to provide any fastenings, clasps or buttons. Instead of using the latter I attach within the cover along each side a strip or wide band of fabric 7, which strip is preferably attached to the cover by being sewn along its top and bottom edges to flaps 8 which are inserted and stitched between the meeting edges of the side walls 6 and the top and bottom of the cover. The stitching 9 which passes through the corner edges of the cover and the flaps 8 also serves to connect the binding strips 10 which gives the corners a neat, external finish. The elastic strip or band 7 is preferably formed of parallel strips of wide elastic webbing which are suitably attached to each other along the side edges and at their ends to the flaps 8 or, where such is available, the elastic band may be made in one piece. The elastic band 7 is of such a width that in its relaxed position it will hold the sides 6 of the cover drawn together and hanging in folds, as shown in full lines Fig. 3. In applying the cover, however, the side corners are grasped and the elastic bands 7 are stretched to the limit and the cover is then slipped over the folded top and drawn forward into position, the side elastics holding it tightly and snugly about the top and leaving the sides with a smooth uninterrupted finish and free of fastenings. If desired the elastic may be carried entirely around the sides and back but it is only necessary to be carried along the sides and it is of course preferable to protect it by the water-proof sides of the cover which have the additional advantage of limiting the stretch to which the elastic pafn be subjected and thereby increasing its Having thus described my invention, What edges to the top and bottom edges of the I claim as new and desire to secure by Letsides and adapted to be put under substan- 10 ters Patent, is tial tension when the sides are drawn taut.

A slip cover for automobile tops formed In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 5 of Waterproof material and comprising a WILLIAM B ALBURY top, a bottom, a back and closed sides, and elastic Webbing extending the length of the Witness: sides and attached along its top and bottom M. H. MABRY, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washing-ton, D. G. 

